Guard-rail fastener.



Patented luly I7, |900.

D. F. VAUGHAN. GUARD HAIL FAsTEN'En.

(Apphcat on led Har 13 1900) (No Model.)

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A TTOHNE Y Nonms PEI-:Rs ou. PHoro-Llmo., wAsumoTnN n c Nrrnn STATES PATNT OFFICE.

DAVID F. VAUGHAN, OF I-IADDONFIELD, NEW JERSEY.`

GUARD-RAlL FASTENER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N o. 653,975, dated July 17, 1900.

Application iiled March 13, 1900. Seri-al No. 8,460. (No model.)

To all whom, it my concern,.-

Be it known that I, DAVID F. VAUGHAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Haddonfield, in the county of Camden and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Guard-Rail Fasteners, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, of which- Figure l is a plan view; Fig. 2, a transverse section as on line 2 2, Fig. 1; Fig. 3, a similar section as on line 3 3, Fig. 1; Fig. 4, a longitudinal section as on line 4 4, Fig. 1.

This invention relates to that class of guardrail fasteners wherein is employed an adjustable block or filling-piece between the guardrail and main rail and means for drawing the guard-rail over toward the main rail, whereby the said filling-piece is firmly clamped between the two rails and maintaining the guard-rail and filling-piece in the required position.

The object of this invention is to provide a guardrail-fastening device of this kind wherein the guard-rail Will be held in a simple and efficient manner in position with relation to the main rail and the ladjustment of the one rail with relation to the other may be conveniently effected.

The invention consists in a certain construction and combination of parts, as hereinafter described,and particularly pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, lis the main rail, and 2 the guard-rail, both being in the present instance ordinary T-rails.

3 designates two bolts extending transversely under the two rails and having hooks 3CL on one end, the horizontal limbs of which extend over the foot of the guard-rail and are respectively-entered into sockets 4v in a block 4, that is tted against the under side of the head and against the web and top of the foot of the said rail.

5 is a block having a longitudinal slot 5 therein,adapted to receive the outer flange of the foot of the main rail, and having holes through which are adapted to pass, respectively, the bolts 3,'whose ends extending beyond the said block are screw-threaded, as shown, and have nuts 6 thereon.

7 7 are two wedge-like blocks whose inclined sides 7 a are in contact with each other,

the said blocks constituting together a fillingpiece between the two rails. lOne block is adapted to slide upon the other when it is required to adjust the distance between the two rails,`as hereinafter described. Each block is provided with an elongated longitudinal slot 7 b about midway therethrough, the horizontal Width of said slot being greater than its'vertical width, as seen in Figs. 2 and 3. The outer sides and top and bottom portions of the said blocks 7 are adapted, respectively, to fit the under side of the heads of the rails, as also the webs and tops of the anges or feet of the rails, as seenin said Figs. 2 and 3.

A bolt 8 is passed through the slot 7", said bolt having a head SiL on one end, the end of the bolt projecting beyond the slot being screw-threaded and having a nut 9 thereon. The two blocks are maintained in the required positions of adjustment by means of said bolt and nut.

In assembling the parts above described in their respective required positions I first so adjust the blocks 7 by sliding the inclined side of one against that of the other horizontally, so that the transverse width of the filling-piece constitu-ted bythe blocks corresponds, or thereabout, with the required distance between the two rails, the bolt 8 having been passed through the slot 7b. I then place the blocks between the rails, and, if necessary, further adjust the transverse width of said blocks by means of the nut 9. Ithen put the block 4 in position against the outer side of the guard-rail, as shown, pass the hook-bolts 3 under the rails, inserting the hooks 3a in the respective sockets 4 of said block, and then place the block 5 in position over and against the foot of the main rail 2. The nuts 6 are then screwed onto the bolts 3. By turning these nuts I draw over the guardrail to cause it to firmly clamp the filling-piece between it and the main rail.

In order to afford an additional support for the feet of the rails and to prevent the guardrail from any tendency to tip over, I sometimes make the block 4 with a limb 4", that extends under and against the bottoms of the rails. Ialso sometimes make the ends of the blocks 7 adjacent to the slots 7b with an offset 7c for the purpose of preventing possibility of the bolt 8 turning and working loose,

IOO

the head of the bolt, as well as the nut 9, being angular, so that the corners will stop against said offset 7C. When, however, these offsets are used, it will of course be necessary to slide one of the'blocks 7 past the other to an extent that Will carry the offset 7c away from the path of the nut, so that the latter may be turned, whereupon the position of the nut 9 is adjusted on the bolt so that when the block is slid back into contact with the nut the width of the lling-piece will correspond with the desired distance apart of the guard-rail and the main rail. I further sometimes provide one of the blocks 7 with lugs 7d, that extend down on each side of one of the hook-bolts 3, so that the said block will be retained in place longitudinally, while the one block may be conveniently adjusted with relation to the other.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patentl. In a guard-rail fastener of the class recited, the combination with the guard-rail and main rail of the block adapted to bear against the side of one of said rails and having the sockets therein the screw-threaded bolts extending under and against said rails and having hooks entered into said sockets, the block, 5, adapted to engage the foot of the other of said rails, and having holes therein, through which said bolts pass, the nuts on the ends of said bolts, together with the adjustable fillingpieoe between the said rails, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In a guard-rail fastener of the class recited, the combination With the guard-rail and main rail of the adjustable interposed llingpiece, the block fitted to the side of one of said rails and having the limb extending under and against the bottom of said rails, the block engaging the foot of one of said rails, and the bolts having hooks engaging said firstmentioned block and extending beneath the rails, and having screw-threaded ends extending through holes in the last-mentioned block, together with the nuts on said threaded ends, substantially as and for` the purpose set forth.

3. In a guard-rail fastener of the class recited, the adjustable filling-piece, consisting of the combination of the two blocks having juxtaposed inclined sides, and the longitudinal elongated slots therethrough, the adjustable bolt extending through said slots and having the angular head and nut thereon, and the osets on the ends of said blocks, adjacent to said head and nut respectively, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

4. In a guard-rail fastener of the class recited, the combination of the guard-rail and main rail, of the bolts extending under said rails and having the hooked ends adapted to engage the side of the guard-rail, the block adapted to engage the foot of the main rail, and having holes through whichV the bolts extend, and the filling-piece consisting of the two blocks having inclined contacting sides, and having the elongated slots, the adjustable bolt extending through said slots, and one of said blocks having the lugs extending on opposite sides of one of said first-mentioned bolts, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature this 26th day of January, A. D. 1900.

DAVID F. VAUGHAN. Witnesses:

WALTER C. PUsEY, JOSHUA PUsEY. 

